February 2021

A Traditional, Egalitarian and Participatory Conservative Synagogue

SHEVAT/ADAR 5781 NEWSLETTER/VOLUME 34:3B FEBRUARY 2021 How to Succeed in Shushan Without Really Kvetching! Purim 5781 is On-Line and so is the Spiel! Thursday, February 25, 7:00 pm Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZ2021Purim r Zarua is on-line Ofor this year’s Purim celebration. Join us on Thursday evening, February 25, 7:00 pm by registering for the Megillah reading and Purim Spiel: How to Succeed in Shushan Without Really Kvetching. Join virtual Purim during this unique time in the world. Spin groggers (or bang on pots!) and make noise during our ZOOM Megillah reading and celebration. It will be the only time when we ask you to wear a mask while you’re in your own home! (Any Purim costume will do!) Buchman-Ziv. It's a new world preparing for a contact us with any questions. Join us at 7:00 pm when the fun starts ZOOM based parody play, but the spiel must Shaharit for Purim will be on Friday with a festive Ma’ariv. Or L’Atid students go on! morning, February 26, 7:15 am; use will help introduce the Megillah reading, the standard daily minyan link which is: and we will chant the Megillah from ZOOM Spiel, “They can't stop the Jews!” Come https://tinyurl.com/OZZoomDaily. Note that boxes. Everyone will be online! We are celebrate our raucous holiday in costume. registration is not required for the shaharit looking forward to the unique and creative Get your noise-maker ready and prepare to service. production that our OZ Spielers have Come for the “whole Megillah!” and join been rehearsing with writer-director Judy Purim Spiel. Register using the following OZ on both Thursday evening and Friday link: https://tinyurl.com/OZ2021Purim and morning! An Additional Page of Purim Information is on Page 7 Or Zarua Art Gallery: See Pages 4-5 Lucy S. Dawidowicz Lecture with Beth Berkowitz, PhD: In-person services at OZ Thursday, February 4, 7:30 pm, See Page 3 are now scheduled for as well Jewish History with Barry Feldman: as every Wednesday morning. Landmark Books, Places & Moments in Jewish History Two Sundays, February 7 & 21, 10 am, See Page 6 Please See Page 8. 1 CONGREGATION OR ZARUA FEBRUARY 2021 President’s Message by Diane Okrent habbat, with family and friends. February 29, The Talmud teaches us that, with the 2020 was the destruction of the Second Temple, the A CONSERVATIVE SYNAGOGUE S last time I was at an Rabbis transposed the altar to the Jewish FOUNDED 1989 in-person service in 127 East 82nd Street the Or Zarua building. family gathered to eat its communal meals.” New York, NY 10028 Aaron and I will receive (Rabbi Ismar Schorsch, JTS Community phone: 212-452-2310 fax: 212-452-2103 our second dose of the Learning, March 20, 1999) In addition to being the place where www.orzarua.org mid-February so we we share our meals, our dining table has SCOTT N. BOLTON, Rabbi hope to be at the in-person Shabbat service become the setting for our davening and DR. HARLAN J. WECHSLER, Rabbi Emeritus on February 27, 2021—almost a year to the studying. I often think about the convenience DIANE OKRENT, President day since the last time. Masked and socially- of being able to rest my siddur on the table— ISAAC NAGIEL, Treasurer distanced, we will feel safe enough to be with it conjures scenes of heder study halls. This KAREN KAPLAN, Secretary other Congregants. is how my ancestors, albeit only the males, HELENE SANTO, Executive Director Like many OZ members, we have studied our traditions. SIGAL HIRSCH, Director of Youth Education missed being together in person with other Until we can come together in the OZ and Programming Congregants on Shabbat and holidays and Sanctuary, I urge you to join our Zoom for classes and events. We look forward to services, classes and programs. And, I CHARLES SPIELHOLZ, Newsletter Editor the time when we will be back in the building encourage you to view the experience of with other Congregants for all our communal davening and learning at home through the OZ Committee Chairs celebrations and events. lens of rededicating your home as a sacred In the meantime, like many of you, we space. ADMINISTRATION Pamela E. Gold have been participating in OZ services, Please join us this Thursday, AESTHETICS Aaron Shelden classes, and events via Zoom. There are February 4 for the annual Lucy Dawidowicz advantages to going to shul in our dining lecture to celebrate Or Zarua’s 32nd ART GALLERY Bobbi Coller room. We don’t have to get up so early and birthday. On February 25, we will celebrate BOOK DISCUSSION Reed Schneider the weather does not adversely affect us. Purim with Zoom megillah reading and Nora Yood As I write this, it is snowing heavily but the a Purim Spiel. And, join us every day for BUILDING Gerry Solomon weather did not affect morning minyan minyan, classes, and Zoom into and out of attendance. Shabbat. HESED Susan Lorin As the pandemic has unfolded, Rabbi Wishing you a healthy, happy and HEVRA KADISHA Roberta Hufnagel peaceful February, Gerry Solomon davening at home. If you would like to KESHER ISRAEL Laura Fisher contribute thoughts, please let me know. We can collect and publish them. LIBRARY Barry Feldman While I miss the experience of praying MARKETING Dana Gross in the Or Zarua Sanctuary, I draw comfort MEMBERSHIP Raanan Korinow and inspiration as I daven with photos of my parents and other family members in my line MINYAN Sheldon Adler of sight. Several years ago, I started adding NOMINATING Jay Palmer the matriarchs (Sara, Rebecca, Rachel and AND LEADERSHIP Leah) to the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and ORAL HISTORY Mimi Alperin Jacob) at the beginning of my Amidah. Facing East in my dining room, I can look at photos PROGRAMMING Marc D. Ashley of the women in my family as I invoke Sara PUBLIC RELATIONS Aaron Shelden (my mother), and Rebecca (my mother-in-law READERS Marc D. Ashley and my niece), and Rachel (another niece) AND LEADERS Jay Palmer and Leah (another niece). On the same shelves, I see our collection STRATEGIC Arthur H. Rosenbloom of siddurim, chumashim, mahzorim, and a DEVELOPMENT host of Jewish sources. To my right, I see WEBMASTER Jay Palmer pairs of brass candlesticks that belonged to YOUTH EDUCATION Eric Schmutter two of my great-grandmothers. One pair was brought from Odessa more than 100 years If you are interested in serving on a synagogue ago (see photo). I use them every Shabbat. committee chair’s email address. And, while we haven’t had guests to share a meal (Shabbat or otherwise), we have shared Zoom meals from our dining table

2 WWW.ORZARUA.ORG FEBRUARY 2021 Lucy S. Dawidowicz Lecture with Beth Berkowitz, PhD Professor and Ingeborg Rennert Chair of Jewish Studies at Barnard College Thursday, February 4, 7:30 pm Zoom Link: https://tinyurl.com/LucyD2021 Zoom ID: 872 9441 1188; Zoom Passcode: 613 hen you think entitled S. Dawidowicz Lecture, Professor Berkowitz about it, on Rabbinic Constructions of Risk, Professor Wanimals have Beth Berkowitz of Barnard College will Professor and Ingeborg Rennert Chair of been at the core of explore the interaction of Jewish thought Jewish Studies at Barnard College, with a much Jewish law and and animality, and illuminate what complex specialization in classical rabbinic literature. narrative. and evolving attitudes towards animals can She was previously a professor of Talmud Animals play a teach us about ourselves. and Rabbinics at the Jewish Theological leading role in both Professor Berkowitz will highlight Seminary of America and has held post- Torah stories and the rabbinic notions of dangerous animals doctoral fellowships in Yale University's Talmudic legal system. Program in Judaic Studies, the University From the Torah’s approaches to the world around us. We of Pennsylvania’s Katz Center for Advanced history-altering snake will focus on a story in the Babylonian Judaic Studies, and New York University in the Garden of Eden Talmud (Bava Kamma 80a-b) about a cat Law School's Tikvah Center for Law and and Bilaam’s wondrous talking donkey, to that attacks a baby at a bris and discuss Jewish Civilization. She is the author of the damage-causing goring ox in the Talmud, elements of the rabbinic culture that Execution and Invention: Death Penalty animals have been featured in our pivotal may have enabled the attack and led to Discourse in Early Rabbinic and Christian Jewish stories, halakhic regulations, and excessive legislation resulting from it. Cultures (Oxford University Press, 2006); daily routines. They have been implicated in Focusing on this Talmudic story will allow foundational sacred and mundane Jewish us to clarify how rabbinic constructions of to the Present (Cambridge University Press, 2012); and Animals and Animality in the torts. Talmudic rabbis even debated whether own assumptions about risk in everyday life Babylonian Talmud (Cambridge University homicidal animals are entitled to a fair trial. and in the world at large. Press, forthcoming). She is also co-editor Yet animals have also been feared as Of course, our acceptance of or aversion of Religious Studies and Rabbinics: A dangerous, although our perceptions of to risk is a cutting-edge issue during this Conversation (Routledge, forthcoming). Her danger have changed over time as political period of pandemic health crisis. Prudently next book project will be a “biblical bestiary” and cultural forces shifted. People used to managing and navigating risk is an ongoing fear bloodhounds; now they fear pit bulls. contemporary concern. Gaining a better animal characters in the Hebrew Bible. Animals in different times and places have understanding of Jewish constructions of Please join us for what should be an been viewed variously as companions, risk can provide useful guidance in today’s insightful exploration of ancient Jewish texts sources of sustenance, fatal threats, and perilous environment. on a fascinating topic that bears relevance fellow creatures. In furthering what is now a long series of and resonance for our challenging times. In this year’s Lucy S. Dawidowicz Lecture, distinguished scholars for our annual Lucy -Marc Ashley

OZ has a YouTube Channel! Go to: https://tinyurl.com/OZonYouTube

r Zarua’s A Tasting and Soiree for Tu B’Shevat, hosted by by Rabbi Bolton and Sigal Hirsch via our Zoom platform, taught us about Othe seven species. Each of the species used in the tasting was obtained from Israel and was as follows: wheat (hitah) as crackers; barley (se’’ (rimon) as dried pomegranate; olives (zayit) as green olives; date (tamar) as date spread. 3 CONGREGATION OR ZARUA FEBRUARY 2021 Online OZ Gallery For February

Creating the Marcus Megillah This beautifully illustrated Megillat Esther is the personal megillah of Jerome Marcus, an attorney in Pennsylvania and the brother of OZ’s Benjamin Marcus. Benjamin—architect, graphic designer and illustrator, and our Shabbat Gabbai Sheini—decorated the scroll. It took a year of preparation—of study and research, of testing and working with different media, of sketching and planning—and more than a hundred hours of working on the parchment before Benjamin’s vision was realized. Two years ago, Jerome purchased the base scroll from a sofer in Jerusalem and commissioned his brother to do the illustrations. Challenged to explore his own concerns about the history and tradition of Jewish art while also dealing with the ritual prescriptions for making megillot, Benjamin began his research. As The Book of Esther is set in ancient Persia, Benjamin looked to the Met’s permanent collection of artworks from the sixth to fourth centuries BCE. There he found inspiration for patterns that would be the background of the megillah’s panels, artwork that would provide context and a sense of historical accuracy. To help Benjamin further understand the character of the Book of Esther, his brother gave him a commentary written by the 19th century commentator Malbim who, as Benjamin told Tablet magazine, “looks at the story essentially as a story of politics…about the bureaucracy that existed and the role it had in our near annihilation.” Taking notes while reading the Malbim, Benjamin says, helped him work out the details of his visual storytelling. -Text continued on the next page.

-Image set continued on the next page. 4 WWW.ORZARUA.ORG FEBRUARY 2021 Online OZ Gallery For February

The next step: understanding the conventions of illuminating a manuscript, the rules of working on animal-skin parchment, of Kashruth. Benjamin had to school himself in the practice of painting with egg tempera, not an easy medium to work with. Needing to practice on a spare sheet of kosher klaf parchment—— address and, “.....even though he’s living in the 21st century in Brooklyn, he doesn’t speak any English,” Benjamin said. Ultimately, they did A word about color scheme: Benjamin chose to illustrate a fable in which intrigue, extended feasts, and impending doom dominate the early narrative. “I started off illustrating the panels with neutral colors and then it slowly gets darker and darker as you go along,” he says. Once Haman is foiled, the color scheme lightens, with more light blues and blends of orange and yellow. The end of the story is “majorly festive,” says Benjamin, “with brighter colors and looser geometric patterns.” -long project Benjamin says it is the “process that interests me most. Art is about making things….knowing things, learning things. ……The artist, when he’s successful, shows people how they have an innate ability to see, how to be able to engage with the world.” And he adds, “When you do what you love, it goes into your head, it goes into your heart.” Clearly, this illuminated manuscript, the “Marcus Megillah,” comes from the heart and inspires the mind. Yasher koach, Benjamin, and Hag Sameach Purim. For more information, go to https://www.benjaminrmarcus.com/megillat-esther. -Gerry Solomon

5 CONGREGATION OR ZARUA FEBRUARY 2021 Landmark Books, Places and Moments in Jewish History Jewish History with Barry Feldman Sundays: February 7 & 21, 10–11:30 am Zoom Link: https://tinyurl.com/JewishHistorywithBarry2021 Zoom ID: 283 908 873; Zoom Passcode: 613 (Note that the sign-in credentials for Barry’s class are exactly the same as Sunday morning Zoom services) his winter settlement in the colonial south, we will ethnographic investigation, the questions Or Zarua trace the transition from the congregation’s asked, the origins of traditional practices, Congregant Barry traditional Orthodox orientation to Reform rituals and superstitions. References include TFeldman is again Judaism, and back and forth to the vibrant “The Dark Continent” written by Nathan leading a Jewish History present congregation. Deutsch and the notes of Avrom Rechtman, an original expedition ethnographer. sessions of the course, Landmark Books, Places Session on February 21: and Moments in Jewish An-Sky’s Expedition, “The Dark Barry is an urban historian, museum History, are independent of the initial educator, and licensed New York City tour sessions and are as follows: . guide. He has created and developed tours of the Jewish Lower East Side, Jewish Harlem, At the turn of the 20th century, Shloyme and other New York neighborhoods. He has Zanvl Rappaport, aka Szymon An-Sky, been teaching at OZ since 2014. Barry’s Session on February 7: journalist, ethnographer, dramatist (The classes are open to all. Prior knowledge is Dybbuk) recognized that the diminished not required, and you may attend any or all Kadosh Beth Elohim, an American shtetlach of Jewish eastern Europe were sessions. We hope to see you this year, via Synagogue in Transition. disappearing along with generations of Zoom, as we continue to study NYC Jewish Following a brief discussion of Jewish folklore. This class will discuss An-Sky history with Barry.

Previous Zoom classes with Barry Feldman in the Landmark Books, Places and Moments in Jewish History series were: (photos on top) The Second Great Migration: Moving out of the Lower East Side to Greater New York and (photos on bottom) Let’s Revisit The Kosher Meat Boycott.

6 WWW.ORZARUA.ORG FEBRUARY 2021

Attention!! Purim Issue Contributions Needed!!

Or Zarua will publish a Purim issue of the OZ Newsletter. Hamentaschen Bake To help with this critically acclaimed monument to literature and news with Sigal we need your goofy contributions. Tuesday, February 23, If you wish to contribute please contact either 5:00 pm Raanan Korinow All are invited! ([email protected]) or Charlie Spielholz Join Sigal to get ready for Purim with a Hamentaschen Bake. ([email protected]). and family, or keep them to enjoy yourself! The whole community is invited to bake with Sigal. No baking experience batch with other OZ-ers.

Register to receive the Zoom information: https://tinyurl.com/HamentaschenWithSigal In advance of the event, Sigal will send a list of ingredients and supplies needed to all registrants. Popcorn & Pizza Purim Package: The Whole For Purim! Megillah is Coming Your Way! So that you to can follow along with the On Purim day, Friday, February 26th, megillah reading online, we are sending one come to the OZ lobby to pick up your copy of the Megillah and graggers to each sweets and a coupon for a slice of member household, along with a small nosh. pizza pie from Saba’s! Reserve If you would like to pick up your package in using this link: person or if you would like to have it sent to an alternate address, please submit https://tinyurl.com/OZ2021PurimOnline the information using the Purim 2021 Form, by February 10, using the following In addition, you can drop off your link: https://tinyurl.com/OZ2021PurimOnline Matanot L'Evyonim (gifts for the poor) in our oversized tzedakah box. Matanot L’Evyonim: Help the hungry in our community. Observe the Purim mitzvah of Matanot Purim Events for Youth L’aEvyonim, giving gifts to the needy. While at OZ for Pizza and Popcorn, drop Weekend Update—Purim Edition a donation in our tzedakah box, send a check made out to Or Zarua with “Matanot Purim Puppet Pegillah LaEvyonim” in the memo line or donate online through ShulCloud: https://tinyurl.com/OZ2021MLE Please see Page 12 Purim Campus Connection Or Zarua strives to maintain contact with our young adults who are away at college. For Purim, we send a ‘‘holiday package’’ to remind them that they are still part of our extended family. This year Purim is Friday, February 26. If your children at college have received a package college address has changed, and you would like them to receive a free package, please reply to Deborah Wenger, at dwenger@orzarua. org or 212-452-2310, ext 12, by Thursday, February 4, with their names, and complete school addresses. Also, please include their email addresses and cell phone numbers so that Rabbi Bolton can stay in touch with them. 7 CONGREGATION OR ZARUA FEBRUARY 2021 In-Person Services have Resumed On Alternate Shabbatot and on Wednesday Mornings Pre-Registration for each day is Required On the following Shabbatot in February OZ will have an On Wednesdays at 7:15 am the Shaharit (morning) service will in-person service beginning at 10:00 am and ending be available either in-person or via Zoom (a “hybrid” service). at 12 noon: February 13 For participants attending the service via Zoom, you will be joining the February 27 participants attending in-person in the OZ Sanctuary.

In order to attend the in-person service on Shabbat one must To attend in-person you must pre-register using the following link: pre-register; to register please use the following link: Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZPerson Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZPerson To attend the Wednesday morning service via Zoom please continue For in-person services on Shabbat after February 27, see upcoming to use the Zoom credentials that have already been established for issues of the OZ Newsletter and eblasts. Note that Shabbat services participation in the Monday-Friday daily morning service: will not be available via Zoom. Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZZoomDaily Zoom ID: 518 639 181; Zoom Password: 613 •When registering for in-person services, answers to several questions must be provided. •Be sure to bring before services begin. •Remember to keep your mask on over your nose and mouth while you are in the building.

Or Zarua Book Discussions ZOOM Into OZ’s Daily Shaharit Minyan by Ronit Matalon Monday-Friday, 7:15 am Sunday, February 21, 7:00 pm Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZZoomDaily Moderator: Volunteer Appreciated Zoom ID: 518 639 181 Zoom Link:https://tinyurl.com/OZBkDisc Zoom Password: 613 Meeting ID: 840 2954 6173 Sundays, 8:45 am Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZZoomSunday Passcode: 613 Zoom ID: 283 908 873 Zoom Password: 613 his riotous satire of wedding-day jitters is an absurdist comedy of contemporary Israeli family life. It takes place in Tel Aviv and begins with TMargie making a big announcement through her bedroom door: “Not getting married.” However, look deeper and it can also stand as a parable ZOOM Into & Out of of a country divided. Elusive yet powerful, by turns laugh-out-loud funny and tragically sad. Join us on Zoom for this perfectly relevant pre-Purim discussion. Shabbat with OZ Zoom into Shabbat on Friday Nights Upcoming Titles See Calendar for times The Last Trial of Kafka by Benjamin Balint Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZZoomIntoShabbat Sunday, April 18, 7:00 pm Zoom ID: 854 630 476 Discussion to be led by Rabbi Bolton Zoom Password: 613 Zoom out of Shabbat on Apeirogon by Colum McCann Saturday Nights Sunday, May 23, 7:00 pm See Calendar for times Meeting and background information for upcoming book discussions Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZZoomOutOfShabbat will be published in future issues of the OZ Newsletter. Zoom ID: 775 962 249 If you would like to be a discussion leader please contact Nora Yood via email: Zoom Password: 613 [email protected]

8 WWW.ORZARUA.ORG FEBRUARY 2021 Or Zarua Community Torah Study Mondays, 12:00 pm (see the calendar in this newsletter) Zoom Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZMondayTorahStudy Zoom ID: 8152 249 6147; Passcode: 613 T commentator to study together in depth. This approach is not typical to Jewish communities around Image above: Did you know that “Rashi Script” the globe but a wonderful and unique feature of the Or Zarua experience. was not Rashi's handwriting but an early While we are taking walks and fortifying in new ways (thank God for quiet reading and study time as printer's font that differentiated commentary well as our parks) on Shabbat mornings, the Or Zarua community is invited to take a break from normal from Torah text in early volumes? Monday endeavors and join for communal Torah study on Mondays at noon. Rabbi Bolton will teach from the weekly parashah and explore Rashi’s commentaries that illuminate the text and make evident what Rashi intended to accomplish as he taught Torah in his Diaspora community of Troyes, France in the 11th Century. We pride ourselves as a congregation on having weekly, interactive Torah study. Join with other congregants and Rabbi Bolton as he leads learning and discussion of the weekly parashah. The classic commentary of Rashi is thought of as foundational and central to understanding Torah’s words and narratives. Additionally, Rabbi Bolton will show how some of Rashi’s comments speak to psychological or existential issues that Jews of medieval France faced and modern NYC folks still contend with. Scenes from Community Torah study at OZ via Zoom. Each Monday Rabbi Bolton leads a Torah study session covering the parashah (section) to be read on the following Shabbat. As a bonus a piece of art work related to parashah is included. Above left: Shemot. Above right: Bo. Talmud and Siddur Classes with Rabbi Bolton Talmud Class for 5781 Siddur Class for 5781 Wednesdays, 7:30–9:00 pm Thursdays, 8:40–9:40 am See the Calendar for Dates See the Calendar for Dates Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZWedTalmudClass Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZZoomSiddur Zoom ID: 858 1909 5662; Passcode: 613 Zoom ID: 832 425 240; Passcode: 613 Jews in a Non-Jewish World: Idol Worship and Living With Others. “I Thought the Service Was Over!” Chapter 1 of Masekhet Avodah Zarah Readings, Songs and Passages of Study After the Throughout history, Jews have maintained strong religious beliefs and cultural ties. The Talmudic Sages, through the paradigm of The Siddur is not only a prayerbook but a repository for passages exploring the mitzvah of refraining from and even abolishing idol of study, hymns to sing, and glorious, poetic songs. We will study worship, confront us with questions: how do we, as Jews, navigate passages from the Rambam such as the Thirteen Principles of Faith, collections of Torah verses prepared for the worshipper who wanted to go right to study after prayers and other materials that were inserted into the post-service sections of printed siddurim stemming from about the prohibition against idol worship is engaged as a framework manuscripts of the Middle Ages. Of course, already in the Talmud, of thought concerning the Jewish People’s place among the nations certain Sages would add personal prayers and pleas of their own of the world. From the beginning of Tractate Avodah Zarah (Idol after their recitations of the Amidah. Those personal prayer passages Worship) the Sages expand on laws that seem black and white on have made their way into some prayer rites at the end of morning their face but move us into discussions about living in the complex services as well. They stand on their own as petitionary poetry, and we world of kaleidoscopic humanity. Join the learning no matter what will study them as stand alone liturgy. In this class we sing, listen to your background. Students may use either the Artscroll Schottenstein the music of prayer, discuss prayer life and examine prayer language Volume 1 Avodah Zarah or the Koren Talmud Bavli Avoda Zara closely. Gain understandings and add meaning to prayer life. Join us -Horayot. Class meets at 7:30 pm on Wednesday evenings at 8:40 am on Thursdays. throughout the year. Either class may be joined at any time.For additional information contact Rabbi Bolton ([email protected])

9 CONGREGATION OR ZARUA FEBRUARY 2021 From Compassion to Action: OZ Hesed Opportunities “The reward for charity depends entirely upon the extent of the kindness in it.”—Talmud Bavli New York Common Pantry Council on Jewish Poverty (Met Council) on Volunteer to make Friendly Phone Helping the Hungry a new project to bring food to Seniors. We Calls to Seniors Our long-time partner has remained open will be packing groceries at a Met Council Help homebound seniors stay connected. and is deemed an essential service during pantry (Lexington Avenue and 31st Street) Isolated seniors have been hit hard by the the COVID-19 crisis. They are seeing huge for delivery to and distribution at a Senior pandemic. Encore Community Services, a demand for their services. The best way Residence on East 92nd Street. This monthly to help is to make a donation through our project, which began on Sunday, January is seeking Friendly Callers to reach out on Hesed Fund. You can learn more about the 24, is set to continue on Sunday, February a weekly basis by phone to homebound Pantry here: http://nycommonpantry.org. seniors. They are serving 2,000 seniors and You can also donate needed pantry thereafter. Individuals and families are need more volunteers. If you are interested staples—particularly rice and pasta—via the welcome to volunteer. If interested please please contact Gigi Verkaik at Pantry’s Amazon list. While Or Zarua has not contact Jeff Haberman at: [email protected] for more information. resumed in-person Hesed activities due to [email protected] or (917) 697-1677. the pandemic, please note that NYCP posts its volunteer shifts at Or Zarua Hesed Fund www.nycommonpantry.volunteerhub.com. Thursday Night Pasta and Salad at the Please consider making a donation to the Volunteers can manage their own Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter OZ Hesed Fund using Shulcloud sign-ups and signing-in is done Unfortunately, because of the spike (https://tinyurl.com/OZDonationPage) electronically as well. Shifts are 3.5 hours in COVID cases, NCS has reinstituted its for disbursement to our partners. You may and include lifting 30 pound bags of policy of not having volunteers on site at the learn more about them at the groceries. Before arrival, volunteers need residence on 81st Street, so that volunteers links below: to know their user name and password for are not needed at this time. However, please New York Common Pantry: Volunteer Hub as it is used for sign in. It’s look for further notices for when volunteers http://nycommonpantry.org easy to reset your password if needed. When may once again go to 81st Street to package Met Council for Jewish Poverty: you arrive, please head straight to the pantry. or serve food. Donations to the Hesed Fund https://www.metcouncil.org For more information, contact Stacy at are needed. To volunteer when NCS is able Project ORE: [email protected]. to resume operations please contact Jeff https://edalliance.org/our-programs/ Haberman at [email protected]. community-centers/project-ore Food Bank for New York City: Volunteer to help pack groceries at a Met https://www.foodbanknyc.org Council pantry and distribute to a Senior UJA Federation of New York: Residence on the Upper East Side https://www.ujafedny.org The OZ Hesed committee is working with Leket, Table to Table (Israeli): the Metropolitan New York Coordinating https://www.leket.org/en/ Or Zarua’s New Accounting Team Othe unique needs of a congregation using these tools. They will function as part of our team, working hand in hand with Helene and statements, or payment schedules you can either email [email protected] or call 516-399-4613. Rachelle is our assigned bookkeeper and Azi and his team will be working with Rachelle to support the needs of our synagogue.

A recording of Rabbi Bolton’s presentation Miraculous Medicine: Vaccinations, Midrash, and Jewish Law is on YouTube and can be found by clicking: . 10 127 East 82nd Street New York, NY 10028•212-452-2310 February 2021•Shevat/Adar 5781 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1•19 Shevet 2•20 Shevet t 3•21 Shevet 4•22 Shevet 5•23 Shevet t 6•24 Shevet 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit (Hybrid 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit Yitro 12:00p Community Torah Service: in-person with 8:40a Siddur Class 4:15p Zoom into Shabbat 5:57p Shabbat Ends Study 4:00p Aleph-Bet pre-registration or Zoom) 5:00p Candlelighting 6:05p Zoom Out of Shabbat 4:00p Hebrew School: 4:00p Hebrew School: 3rd- Cooking & Cookies K-5th Grades 7:30p Lucy S. Dawidowicz 6:30p B'nei Mitzvah 5th Grades Lecture with Professor Scholars: 6th-7th Grades 7:15p 8th-9th Grade Beth Berkowitz: Are Hebrew Pit Bulls Dangerous? 7:30p Talmud Class Constructions of Risk 7•25 Shevet 8•26 Shevet 9•27 Shevet 10•28 Shevet 11•29 Shevet 12•30 Shevet 13•1 Adar 8:45a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit (Hybrid 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) Rosh Hodesh Rosh Hodesh 10:00a Jewish History with 12:00p Community Torah Service: in-person with 8:40a Siddur Class 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) Shabbat Shekalim Study 4:00p Weekend Barry Feldman: South pre-registration or Zoom) 4:00p Aleph-Bet 4:15p Zoom into Shabbat Mishpatim 4:00p Hebrew School: Update-Purim Edition 10:00a In-Person Shabbat Carolina is the New K-5th Grades 4:00p Hebrew School: 3rd- Cooking & Cookies 5:08p Candlelighting Zion: Kahal Kadosh Beth Preparation 5th Grades 5:00p Start Spreading the Service: Pre-registration 6:30p B'nei Mitzvah required (No Zoom Service) Elohim, an American Scholars: 6th-7th Grades 7:15p 8th-9th Grade Jews! Cooking with Sigal Synagogue in Transition Hebrew 6:00p Start Spreading the 6:06p Shabbat Ends 4:00p Bir’nana Rehearsal 7:30p Talmud Class Jews! Class with Rabbi 6:15p Zoom Out of Shabbat Bolton

14•2 Adar 15•3 Adar 16•4 Adar 17•5 Adar 18•6 Adar 19•7 Adar 20•8 Adar 8:45a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit (Hybrid 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) Shabbat Zahor 4:00p Bir’nana Rehearsal 12:00p Community Torah Service: in-person with 8:40a Siddur Class 4;30p Zoom into Shabbat Terumah Study pre-registration or Zoom) No Aleph-Bet Cooking and 5:17p Candlelighting 6:13p Shabbat Ends No Hebrew School 4:00p Purim Package Cookies 6:20p Zoom Out of Shabbat OZ Office Closed Pickup (until 6:00p) 7:30p Talmud Class No Hebrew School

21•9 Adar 22•10 Adar 23•11 Adar 24•12 Adar 25•13 Adar 26•14 Adar 27•15 Adar MET Council Volunteers 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit (Hybrid Ta'anit Esther/Erev Purim Purim Tetzaveh 8:45a Shaharit (Zoom) 10:00a Purim Package 10:00a Purim Package Service: in-person with 5:23a Fast begins 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 10:00a In-Person Shabbat 10:00a Jewish History with 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) Pickup (until 2:00p) Pickup (until 2:00p) pre-registration or Zoom) 11:00a Purim Puppet Service: Pre-registration Barry Feldman: An-Sky’s 12:00p Community Torah 4:00p Hebrew School: 3rd- 8:40a Siddur Class. Expedition, “The Dark 4:00p Weekend Update- 6:13p Fast Ends Pegillah required (No Zoom Service) Study 5th Grades 6:21p Shabbat Ends Continent”: An exploration 4:00p Hebrew School: Purim Edition Preparation 7:00p Weekend Update- 12:00p Pizza & Popcorn for Into the Past Folklore of K-5th Grades 5:00 pm Hamentaschen 7:15p 8th-9th Grade Purim Edition Purim 6:30p Zoom Out of Shabbat Eastern Europe 6:30p B'nei Mitzvah Bake with Sigal Hebrew 7:00p Purim Services & 4:30p Zoom into Shabbat 4:00p Bir’nana Rehearsal Scholars: 6th-7th Grades 7:30p Talmud Class Spiel beginning with the 5:25p Candlelighting reading of the Megillah 28•16 Adar 1•17 Adar 2•18 Adar 3•19 Adar 4•20 Adar 5•21 Adar 6•22 Adar Shushan Purim 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit (Hybrid 7:15a Shaharit (Zoom) 7:15a Shaharit Bat Mitzvah: Sonia Kranich 8:45a Shaharit (Zoom) 12:00p Community Torah Service: in-person with 8:40a Siddur Class 4:30p Zoom into Shabbat Shabbat Parah No Bir’nana Rehearsal Study pre-registration or Zoom) 5:33p Candlelighting Ki Tissa 4:00p Hebrew School: 4:00p Hebrew School: 3rd- 6:29p Shabbat Ends K-5th Grades 5th Grades 6:35p Zoom Out of Shabbat 6:30p B'nei Mitzvah 7:15p 8th-9th Grade Hebrew Scholars: 6th-7th Grades 7:30p Talmud Class

Be sure to check the Or Zarua Website (www.orzarua.org) and the weekly eblasts for updates to the calendar. Except as noted in-person services are temporarily suspended and are being conducted virtually via Zoom; all in-person services require registration with OZ prior to attending. CONGREGATION OR ZARUA FEBRUARY 2021

Celebrate Purim with Or Zarua Hamentaschen Bake with Sigal Tuesday, February 23, 5:00 pm All are invited! Join Sigal to get ready for Purim with a Hamentaschen Bake. and family, or keep them to enjoy yourself! The whole community is invited to bake with Sigal. No baking experience batch with other OZ-ers.

Register to receive the Zoom information: https://tinyurl.com/HamentaschenWithSigal In advance of the event, Sigal will send a list of ingredients and supplies needed to all registrants. Weekend Update— Purim Edition Thursday, February 25 Above: Students are getting ready for Purim in Hebrew School! Their silly 7:00 pm Queen Esther puppets are ready for Preparation Dates: Tuesdays, Megillah reading. February 9 & 23, 4:00 pm

Kids of all ages are invited to participate in Weekend Update—Purim Edition! Add lots of laughs to the community-wide Purim celebration on Thursday, February 25, with original hysterical headlines! Above: Tu B’Shevat connected us with the earth and with Eretz Yisrael. Our performers will join Sigal on Tuesdays, Students made Herzl Chia heads, and February 9 and February 23, at 4:00 pm to write our own Purim planted arugula sprouts. They're excited headlines. We’ll put them together for a fun newscast to introduce and to watch them grow. wrap up our Megillah reading. Email Sigal, [email protected], by Monday, February 8, to sign up! For more information about the Megillah reading and community-wide Purim celebrations, see page 1. Purim Puppet Pegillah Friday, February 26, 11:00 am Above: Students explored Parashat Yitro Little ones are invited to join Sigal and with a video from BimBam, and then Rabbi Bolton for a Zoom Pegillah… oh wait, explored why Yitro was so important to MEGILLAH extravaganza! Experience a puppet Moses and the Israelites. show like no other as we learn the Purim story together. Kids and parents are invited For information about to dress up in costume! Grandparents, aunts, Youth Education and Programming uncles, and of course, older siblings, are welcome. contact Sigal Hirsch, Director, at [email protected] Geared towards early childhood. or 212-452-2310, ext 15. Register at: https://tinyurl.com/OZPegillah for Zoom information.

12 WWW.ORZARUA.ORG FEBRUARY 2021

Our new semester is underway! It’s not too late to sign up.

Thursdays, 4:00-4:45 pm Time to get cooking with Thursday, ALEPH-BET Cooking and Cookies! Please note, class will not meet on February 18 or 25. Instead, join Sigal February 11 on February 23 for the Hamentaschen Bake! Cook and bake your way from Aleph-to-Tav with delicious alphabetical 5:00 pm confections. With Sigal's instruction, you'll learn new recipes and Cooking with Sigal new Hebrew words each week. 6:00 pm Kids kindergarten and older are welcome. Younger children will require adult participation or supervision. Class with Rabbi Bolton For kids of ALL educational backgrounds! For Middle School and This is not a Hebrew School program. High School Students Bring the joy of Jewish and Hebrew baking into your home with this new virtual Join Rabbi Bolton for his class: after-school program! Ingredient and supplies lists will be provided in advance, "Start Spreading the Jews! We want to along with information about where to purchase special supplies when needed. be a part of it, New York, NY..."

Families can sign up for the semester (Now through June) or Class dates for the rest of the year drop in for one class have been scheduled! $10 per class February 11, March 11, April 8, May 6 Member Familes: $100 for the semester Non-Member Families: $120 for the semester Come explore the kaleidoscope of Please note all registration fees are per household. Jewish New Yorkers on this culinary and historical journey. When did they get Families can enroll multiple children for one fee. Refer a friend to a program and sign up for free if they register for the class! Visit https://www.orzarua.org/or-latid/after-school-programs/ for more information and to sign up! session will feature a taste of Jewish New York and an exploration of the various Jewish communities that make up the larger Jewish community of the Big Apple (and honey, of course)!

Left: Our younger students had a blast with The Hat Game, reviewing what we learned so far this year about the holidays. 13 CONGREGATION OR ZARUA FEBRUARY 2021

OZ’s Young Professionals are a group The Or Zarua Community in their 20s and 30s committed to Fund contributions received between December 5, 2020 and January 1, 2021 building a welcoming and vibrant Jewish community within Or Zarua. For more details, follow their Facebook page (Or Zarua Young Professionals). Contact OZ’s Young Professionals with any questions, suggestions, or just to say hi via email: [email protected].

Celebrate a Birthday or Anniversary with OZ: Be a Virtual Sponsor Sponsor a Zoom program or minyan at Or Zarua to celebrate a birthday or anniversary with fellow Congregants or as a meaningful way to remember a loved one. Contact Deborah Wenger ([email protected]) for details. Helping Or Zarua r Zarua is a vibrant community, and all communities need their Omembers. Here are some quick and easy ways to help: Choose to pay via ACH when paying online. This is a direct debit from your checking account. It saves the congregation credit card transaction fees. Choose to include the transaction fee in your payment. This ensures that the entire payment comes to OZ. Start your shopping at Amazon Smile! Go to smile.amazon.com when you shop on Amazon and choose Or usual. OZ earns a percentage of every eligible purchase. Sponsor a lecture, Shabbat Zoom, or other program. Our online programming has been varied and well attended. This will defray the costs to the congregation of having these wonderful events. Please contact Helene Santo for more information.

The Or Zarua Social Hall will be available to rent once NYC is no longer (semi)-paused Contact Helene Santo, 212-452-2310, ext 14, for information.

Visit OZ on the Web! Go to https://orzarua.org

14 CONGREGATION OR ZARUA 127 East 82nd Street New York, NY 10028-0807

Or Zarua’s Help Keep Our Daily Minyan Strong Even on Zoom Memorial Wall Please donate ONE HOUR•ONE MORNING per month to our Shaharit minyan. Contact Sheldon Adler: [email protected] For information about plaques for our Memorial Wall, please contact See Zoom Details on Page 8. Helene Santo at [email protected] or 212- 452-2310, ext 14. We will place another order when we have Order forms are available online at http://tinyurl.com/OZMemorialPlaque Deborah Wenger at 212-452-2310, ext 12.

Get Social: Follow us on social media to learn, participate, and connect. Join us for Zoom Out of Shabbat just after the Sabbath ends which includes: Find us on Facebook as Congregation Havdalah, songs to start the week, a prayer for those who are ill, and Kaddish when Or Zarua, on Instagram as @or_zarua and on we have a minyan to remember loved ones. See the blue boxes on page 8 for Zoom Twitter as @Or_Zarua. sign-in details. CONGREGATION OR ZARUA FEBRUARY 2021 Sing Out With Bir’nana!

andemic schmandemic! Bir’nana, Or Zarua’s a cappella group, has been meeting via Zoom to learn new music, revisit our oldies but goodies, and keep up the musical community we’ve built over the last seven years. We’re on hiatus now, but P more information, contact Rabbi Amy Bolton ([email protected]) or Dore Hollander ([email protected]).